


The Traveling Soldier

by julz314



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Based on a song, DON'T LIKE DEATH IN STORIES FFS DON'T READ, Death, I WILL NOT SAY WHO, Injured Daichi, M/M, Mentions of Shimada, Not saying who, Set during the war, Soldiers, Someone dies, Story set in the US, Urgh., Yes someone dies, major character's death, mentions of Daichi - Freeform, mentions of volleyball, offscreen death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-03-30 01:50:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13939989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julz314/pseuds/julz314
Summary: Based on the Dixie Chick's song of the same title; during the time of war a small town of the US is the host of soldiers traveling across the country to head to the war zones. Guys under the age of 18 are unable to join the army yet and so we have our main character working at his parents' diner. There, he meets a soldier who will forever change his life.SPOILER IN CASE YOU DIDN'T READ THE TAGS: SOMEONE DIES IN THIS!!!!!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea up in my mind for ages and decided to give it a go. It will be a short story with a few chapters only. This was meant to be a one shot but I am bad with those so there you go.
> 
> If you know the song you sorta know what will happen, but I kinda made a few glitches to it so please bare with me on this one. Also if you do know the song don't spoil the ending to those who don't know it, but I will strongly suggest you have a listen to it when you can.
> 
> A small note that some characters' age profile will be changed, meaning that characters (like Sugawara in the upcoming chapter) will not be the same age as Daichi for example.
> 
> Tags will change as I keep posting. I hope you will enjoy!
> 
> OH and in case you didn't read above: there is a mention of a character's death in this. I will not tag who. Nope. You've had more warnings than I give my students at work. Seriously.

Chapter 01 - Meeting the Soldier

 

Pictou, North Carolina was a small beach town that came alive during the summer time. While the winter months made the area look deserted it was the opposite during the warm weather times to a point where the population almost tripled thanks to the tourists living inside the summer homes by the pier.

The past couple of summers had a different feel though, as the war that was ragging on the other side of the globe hosted a vast number of American soldiers. The medias kept saying that the bloodshed would come to an end soon, but everyone knew those words were too good to be true.

Rules had been set to join the forces. Any male that reached the age of eighteen had to enroll, while the women reaching the same age had to replace the missing men on the workforce at home. The war was hard on everyone, whether you were stuck here or you were stuck having to go over there…

Kei Tsukishima sighed. How he wished to be on the other side of the world right now.

“Hey, waitress! I want to place my order now, sweet heart!”

Kei shrugged as he continued his way to his current customer. Tadashi Yamaguchi, Kei’s longtime neighbor and best friend tried his best not to burst out laughing.

“Here’s your cola, idiot,” Kei offered as he tried his best to keep smiling.

“I’m sorry, Tsukki, I just can’t believe you can deal with assholes like him.”

The blonde sighed before pushing his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Not my fault if I have to help my mother out.”

“True. But come on you could have at least taken a job in the kitchen.”

Kei’s parents owned a small diner just by the beach. While it was normally filled with jocks and their  _gals_  this time of year it had been different ever since the war had begun. Kei’s dad and older brother had both been ordered to join the army to serve overseas while Kei, who was barely sixteen, was stuck being a waiter at the diner until they could find some replacements for the men gone.

It pissed him to no end that while his father – an almost retired businessman – had been forced to serve at least one term other assholes such as the impolite customer sitting in the booth by the bathroom were allowed to stay put where it was safe only because the dumbass was too fat and stupid to wear the uniform.

People like him made Kei want to vomit on their food.

“Hey sweetie! Stop talking with your little boyfriend there! I want to order my food!”

_Fucking son of a –_

“It’s okay, Tsukki. Just calm down…”

Tadashi knew him all too well and knew what he was capable of when people pissed him off. Kei remembered once more that this was his father’s business and that he had promised him to watch over his mother and the place in his absence. He took a deep breath and headed to the old man’s booth with the biggest fake smile.

“Welcome.”

_Keep smiling, Kei,_  he told himself.

“May I take your order, please?”

_Stay cool, Kei. You don’t want a repeat of last time, right?_

Kei looked down at the man; fat was an understatement, and it was cleared that he had been eating too many cheeseburgers in his lifetime. The man looked as awful as he smelled and it was a wonder how one could go out in public with the smell of old shoes following them around.

The old man looked up at Kei and smirked. Frowning, the teenager took a step back without saying a word.

_Just fucking order, already!_

“My, my! I thought the waitresses in here wore skirts. Where’s yours, sweetie?”

Kei wanted to vomit but decided that remaining his old self was the best way to get rid of this jackass. A ring of the doorbell was heard and Kei didn’t look back to see who was coming in. All he knew was that the new customer was going to sit on the other side of the diner.

“Well thank you for noticing the uniform change but I figured that having customers seeing me in a light-yellow skirt would freak the customers – and my mother – out. Would you like to make a complain to our manager? I am sure she would like to know why an old man who can’t even serve his country proudly would want to see her son in a lovely spring dress.”

The old man replied in mumbles as he managed to get out of his booth and then out of the restaurant. In the background Kei could hear Tadashi laugh his ass off and deep down Kei wished his friend would choke on his cola.

The blonde teenager sighed. Why were adults so fucking dumb?

Thinking that it was pointless to think about the whole thing Kei decided to move on and continue his job. After all there were other customers in the diner that were more friendly or didn’t give a crap who gave them their order as long as they were fed in a reasonable time. You had your usual customers: Mr. Rodgers and his wife – two over-eighty years old folks who always came at the diner at this time of the week for a coffee and a piece of apple pie to share. A couple of old ladies who came for the brunch menu and to gossip about other old ladies Kei didn’t know. A bunch of younger teens who stopped for ice cream before heading down the beach and then your normal stranger with black hair in a green uniform—

Wait… who was that guy?

“Tsukki? Tsukki? Kei??” The blonde felt someone poking him on his side.

Snapping out of his thoughts Kei looked at his friend. “What?”

“You were kind of not there anymore. Everything alright?”

Kei’s eyes went back to the newcomer. The guy was clearly a soldier who was traveling, either back from or to the war. He was young, and his rank suggested that he had been in the service for less than two years. So why didn’t Kei know who the guy was?

_He’s kind of good looking,_  Kei shook his head before his thoughts would go down the drain. The other guy’s dark hair seemed rather wild for a soldier and even ran in front of his face, hiding his eyes from where Kei stood. The guy’s head was leaning against his right fist and seemed to be in deep though in over what to order, his head down looking at the menu in front of him.

Kei felt another poke to his side.

“Go offer him some coffee or something, already!” Tadashi whispered rather loudly.

“Y-Right! I am. I will. Err…”

_Just move, Kei_ , he told himself. This was getting rather stupid and so out of his personality. He had to blame the uniform though…

… because that guy looked fucking amazing in it.

Kei walked to the counter to grab a half-filled coffee pot before finally getting to the new customer. “Coffee? On the house.”

The other man looked up from the menu – good God he looked even better from up close – and smiled. “You offer random coffee just like that for free?”

_Keep it cool, Kei._  “Well… for soldiers. Restaurant policy. Order from the owner who is actually serving.”

“Ah!” The guy nodded in thanks as he presented the empty cup in front of him. “Is he in ‘Nam, too?”

It was Kei’s turn to nod. “Been there for three months already.”

As the guy took a sip of the coffee Kei thought for a quick moment that he was jealous of that cup. He watched the guy enjoy his first drink and couldn’t help but to feel a shivering wave dancing through his body when the dark-haired soldier moan in delight at the taste of the hot drink.

“S-s-so! Erm…” Kei attempted, doing his best to keep his mind working. “You ready to order?”

The soldier placed his left hand in front of his mouth in thought, frowning as he looked back at the paper in front of him. “How about this?”

“You want the traditional breakfast? Sure. How do you want your eggs?”

“How would you recommend them?” the soldier looked up at Kei.

The natural light coming from the window hit the soldier’s facial features the right way. His hazel eyes showed a slight hint of fatigue which could be coming from traveling, Kei figured. His lips were slightly chapped and his cheeks were slightly red, perhaps because of the warm temperatures they had to deal with whilst he had to wear the thick olive-green uniform.

“So?” the soldier asked.

“Scrambled.” It was the first word that came to Kei’s scrambled mind. He hoped for a moment that whoever was working the kitchen at the moment was ready to make the world’s best scrambled eggs.

“I’ll go with that. White toasts and strawberry jam on the side, please. Oh, and more coffee, if I can.”

The soldier smiled. Kei smiled back. As he finished writing up the order on the small pad Kei gave the soldier one last gaze, inspecting him and taking notes of his everything.

It was then that he saw the soldier’s nametag on his chest.

_Kuroo_ , Kei read in his mind before heading towards the kitchen.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter! This story was supposed to be a one-shot deal and I should have sticked to my original plan... but I will finish this no matter what! I hope you will enjoy!

Chapter 02

 

The soldier ate the breakfast made for him in peace and quiet, slowly reading the newspaper a customer had left on the booth table behind his. Kei, who had been on break for a while now, starred at the mysterious guy from the other end of the diner and couldn’t help but to blush the moment he noticed the guy licking jam from his fingers. There was just… something about that guy that made Kei feel something he had never felt in his whole life. Had it been because of the uniform or because he couldn’t help but to wonder what sort of body hid under all that green.

“Tsukki! For the love of –” Tadashi waved his hand in front of Kei’s face with no results. The blonde simply ignored his friend, mainly because at the moment the thing he had wanted the most was to be that strawberry jam…

_Wait… what?_

Kei felt a hand on top of his head and had to look up who had been trying to invade his personal space. Someone had apparently wanted to swing inside the booth where he was currently sitting.

“Tadashi, what in the world did you do to him?” Koushi Sugawara asked with a playful grin on his face as he pointed Kei.

Freckles answered with a taunting sound in his voice. “Our little Tsukki has crush!”

“I do not!” Kei answered, rolling his eyes as his mind forgot about his soldier.

More laughter from both of his friends but somehow Kei knew that they weren’t just laughing because of the teasing.

“Fine, fine,” his silvery-haired friend waved his hand. “How about some coffee though, please? I got something to show you both!”

Tadashi gasped for air. “Did you receive anything from Daichi?!”

Koushi nodded. Kei understood.

He needed to go get some coffee.

He understood why Koushi had asked him for a drink even though the guy was still on his break. Whenever one of his friends received news from the warzone Kei felt… lonely. Envious even at times. Everyone had someone special overseas doing their best at protecting the lives of those who mattered to them while he was stuck being single and working in a barely profitable family owned restaurant. So Koushi had definitely figured out his friend’s feelings and always tried his best to keep him busy for a little while so that he and Tadashi could have a moment together.

Kei was grateful for it all, but it still made him feel…

Helpless, alone and sad.

“Sure, I’ll be right back,” he said with a weak smile.

He walked towards the counter and pretended not to hear the happy giggles behind him. Kei grunted when he saw that a fresh pot of coffee had already been brewed though, meaning he wouldn’t have to take extra time to make it. He wanted to leave the lovey dovey fan boys a moment and there were no new customers in sight to go serve.

Except his soldier.

Wait… just what did he mean by _his_?

Without realizing it, Kei had walked to the black-haired soldier’s booth and filled the small white cup with the hot drink. The jitters in his heart were much better than the alternative at the moment. He stood there, unable to move, as the soldier – a private according to the badge on his arm – grabbed the cup and took a sip, sighing in delight.

This ordeal was stupid. Why wasn’t he able to speak like he normally did whenever this guy was around?

And just like that… someone spoke, breaking the awkward moment.

“You know what’s dumb?”

Kei looked down, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “Sorry?

“Grapes,” the soldier replied, taking another sip of the free coffee.

“Grapes?”

The Private nodded. “Uh huh. You know how you have grape flavored candy, juice and even grape cough syrup?”

This time Kei only could nod.

“How come they never taste like the actual fruit?”

Kei blinked once. Twice. A few extra times super quickly before he began laughing so hard he had to wrap his free arm around his stomach. He hadn’t expected this at all and yet it was something Kei felt like his soldier could randomly come up with.

 _Why did he call him_ his _again!?_

The moment of laughter over, the soldier’s smile making Kei’s cheeks blush. “Listen ermm… I have a strange favor to ask.”

“I’m sorry but we can only offer free coffee. Soldier or not you have to pay for those eggs.”

The soldier smiled again and Kei wondered when his heart would stop beating.

“That’s not what I meant… I’m leaving in the morning and I was wondering if you knew a nice tourist site to visit for the day? I would like to make the most out of this stay before I get shipped.”

Kei thought about the various optional attractions around town that he knew about, and besides the town museum and the art gallery there was not much touristy things he could think of except…

“I know a place. I can give you the directions if you let me get a pen and paper.”

“Uhm,” the soldier sighed. “Sure but, I would rather you showed it to me? If it’s possible.”

Kei’s mind went in to overdrive. Had he just been asked out on a – no. This was just a friendly favor since the guy had no one to hang out with before he left for his armed forces services. Right? Yes, it had to be.

He took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his cool. “Sure. I’m off in about an hour. Can you wait until then?”

The soldier nodded. “Only if I can have an extra cup of coffee.”

Kei re-filled the cup once more before turning on his feet to head towards Koushi and Tadashi who were far too lost into their own conversation to see what had just happened.

“Oh erm… by the way?” the soldier said. Kei halted instantly and turned his head to look back. “You got something in your hair.”

 _What… wait…_ Kei’s hand moved to the top of his head and he felt the something. When he pulled it off and looked at it he knew it was from when Koushi had arrived to their booth earlier.

Just why did he put a present bow on top of his head?

 

xXx

 

Pictou Pier was a national treasure; a beautiful spot by the beach that offered the best sight-seeing hiking trails and picnic spots. Whenever Kei came to visit the area he always sat at the same spot, a very quiet part of the beach where tourists never bothered to travel all the way to since it was off the trails. It was a very serene area, with the sound of crashing waves as the soundtrack that would always help him relax and just be himself.

He would normally bring a book with him or one of his sketch pads to doodle on, but today was different. As he looked behind him to see if the soldier was still following him Kei could only ask himself if this was all a dream. Back at the diner, when the guy had asked for a tourist attraction to visit, maybe the only thing he had really wanted to see was the ice cream booth by the main entrance to the beach.

So why had Kei’s first thought been to bring him to his secret spot?

“Wow… this is truly a breath-taking scene,” the soldier whispered under his breath.

Perhaps Kei had been worried for nothing? “I’d figure you would like it. I always come here when I’m by myself.”

They both found a spot to sit and when they did Kei couldn’t help but to feel a little shy over the fact that they were now sitting next to each other, their hands a few inches from touching.

“What do you do when you come here alone?”

Kei had to ponder on if he should tell him the truth or a simple white lie. “I normally bring a book, or some homework. Just basic loner stuff.”

“Aah I’m having a hard time believing that you come here alone.”

The blonde frowned. “Why would you say that?”

“Erm… I mean…” It took a moment for the soldier to process what he wanted to say and how he wanted to word it out.  “Isn’t freckle boy… you know… your boyfriend?”

There was an awkward silence moment as Kei tried his best to quickly reply but couldn’t. The thought of being in a relationship with Tadashi? Kei laughed as hard as he had back in the diner earlier before taking a deep breath.

“Nah… Tadashi and I are just childhood friends. Besides he’s in a relationship right now with a guy overseas.”

The moment of laughter quickly vanished and Kei was back into thinking about his friends having a blast at reading the letters from Daichi and Shimada. He had to let go of that jealousy, already God da—

“So that means you have no one special fighting over there?” It was as though the soldier had read all of Kei’s thoughts in his mind and for some reason the blonde was okay with letting the other guy in.

“I mean… I have my father. But it’s not like that, really… I mean it would be weird for a kid my age to get a letter from my dad, right?”

The soldier nodded. “Then how about me?”

Kei frowned once more. “What about you?”

“I’ve got no one to send a letter to. Would you mind if…”

“If…?” Kei tried his best to let the man finish his own sentence, hoping, praying in the meanwhile that this was in fact not a dream.

“If I’d send one back here to you?”

The scenery was perfect, with the sun hitting the water in front of them so perfectly the ocean looked like an oil painting. Kei’s heart was filled with a sudden dose of happiness that probably couldn’t compare to what his friends were feeling whenever they talked about their boyfriends. He hadn’t felt like this in ages, probably had never felt like this ever in his entire life. Perhaps it was all infatuation from looking at the very beautiful man in a uniform, but good God he didn’t care at all if this was all just a fluke.

His lips ended up on the soldier’s, sealing a promise to be there on the receiving end whilst the soldier would prepare for the mission ahead of him.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 03 - Understanding

 

Kei understood now.

From the kiss at the pier to finding himself on a one-night stand with the soldier, both messed up underneath Kei’s bedsheets, to the following morning that had let the soldier leave before Kei could wake up from this dream-like reality. He understood now.

He knew what it meant to be in love with someone.

It had been hard to explain, but as the weeks went along and the letters came pouring in from training camps all across the country up until the day Tetsurou had to finally leave the country, Kei’s heart had come to understand his friends whenever they had talked about their lovers being abroad.

Months had passed, and Kei couldn’t forget.

The ringing sound of the diner’s doorbell rang and Kei couldn’t help but to jump from the counter bar stool he had been sitting on. He looked at the door, somewhat wishing that by some kind of miracle Tetsurou would appear.

“Sorry, dude, it’s just us,” Suga waved hello as he held the door open for a dark-haired man who walked with crutches.

Kei’s heart tightened, but he smiled otherwise. “Hey you two, come on in.”

He offered both Daichi and Suga a cup of fresh coffee, to which both bowed him in thanks. It had been nice to see Daichi after he had been sent back home from the war front, and Kei knew that things had to be somewhat different now with Daichi’s injury that would forever leave him away from his favorite past time.

“How’s rehab?” Kei asked both of them, not knowing if it was okay to ask Daichi-only.

There was a moment of silence, but it was all out of respect. After all, they were all hurting in some way.

“It’s going great, thanks for asking, Kei.” Daichi smiled before taking Suga’s hand in his. “I have great support with me, after all. I’m just so happy.”

His voice was filled with pain and so was Suga’s teary eyes. But the silvery-haired man smiled back. “Daichi is learning how to go around in a special wheelchair that will let him play some sports at the local gym, so you know… perhaps one day…”

_Maybe Daichi would be able to play volleyball again…_

“That’s great, man!” Kei gave a tap on Daichi’s shoulder.

He could sense that Daichi was tightening his grip on Suga’s hand. “It sure is. But enough about us: have you gotten any word on mister soldier?”

Kei felt his cheeks burn. “Just this…”

Going to the pocket in front of his black apron Kei took out an envelope and placed it on the table next to Daichi and Suga’s hands. His friends looked at each other then back down to the stationary paper simultaneously before looking back at Kei.

“You mean-”

“You didn’t open it yet?”

Kei shook his head. “I couldn’t. I mean… it’s been so long… what if…”

The lingering anxiety that covered him whenever he’d received on of these letters. This was the fifth letter and the first one in over month. He was scared… scared that this meant the end… scared that perhaps someone else had written this to let him know that…

“We’re here for you,” Daichi brought Kei back by a soft touch on his arm. “Whenever you are ready, we are here for you.”

This wasn’t supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to feel things like this from a one-night stand. Falling in love, him?

What if it had all been for nothing?

“Thank you, the both of you.” Kei smiled. “I’ll be fine, I promise.”

And without realizing it he had gotten up and placed the letter back in his apron, still sealed.  


xXx  


The sun was setting down on a rather chilly autumn evening at the pier when Kei got to the spot he had come to call his own. He had come here every day since he had said goodbye to his soldier, doing his best to remember every single detail of their moment together here.

In his right hand, the envelope was held tightly. With his eyes closed he took a deep breath and finally took the courage to rip the soft white paper open, revealing a single page folded in three. The cloud of bad thoughts reappeared on the top of his head as he feared the worse once more, and then he felt a breeze hitting his back, just as though someone was pushing him forward…

He had to read the letter, he had to.  


_Dearest Tsukki,_

_I hope you are well._

_I want to thank you for your last letter. It made me happy to think that you have been looking forward to more of my letters._

_I’ve arrived here two days ago and boy… things are so different from training camp back at home. I should probably apologize to all of my relatives when I get back home when I was being an ass by telling them that this would be easy._

_Because as much as I would want it to be easy, it’s by far the opposite._

_Thinking about every sacrifice that was done since this war started, and on either side. So many lives lost…_

_I miss my bed. I miss my cat. I miss warm comfort food. I miss the smell of your family diner and most of all I miss being with you at the pier… wait, is that where you are right now?_

Kei couldn’t help but to chuckle at the last line, then open the bottom part of the paper.

_I miss you. So much. Every day. I pray every day that a miracle will happen and that we will be allowed to go home and be allowed to live a life free of wars such as this one. Wouldn’t it be fun to play under your sheets once more?_

_Until then, I will try to stay brave and work hard to make it out of here alive. I hope I am not being stupid by writing these wishes to you but know that I would do anything to see your smile one more time. I don’t know when I will be able to write again, so please wait for me just a little bit more?_

_I miss you and love you, my moonlight, my Tsukki._

_See you soon,_

_T.K._  


As he looked up to the sky, fighting away the tears that were flowing down on his cheeks Kei understood now.

He understood what it felt like to be in love.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so SO sorry that it took all of these months to update, but when you are fighting inner demons sometimes you need to back away from certain things....
> 
> I'm glad that music brought me back to this, though.
> 
> Next chapter will be the last. Thank you again for being so patient with me.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 04 - Farewell

 

Christmas was nearing and for the town of Pictou this meant that the annual men’s volleyball tournament was going strong, even if there were half the number of teams this year. The people of the town had decided to continue on with the tournament even though most of the usual players had left for the war…

… Either that or were back home with major injuries.

But that didn’t stop some of the stars of the sport. Daichi had been the greatest example of strength and tenacity and thanks to Suga’s heartfelt love for the guy both of them were able to play on the same team again; thanks to some rules twerking Daichi had been allowed to play defense on the back line of the Karasuno team. He was back to where he’d belong and that even got him a standing ovation on his first match.

It had been a wonderful sight, and it was hard not to see Suga’s love for his husband. Kei had been honored to attend their little ceremony by the beach a few weeks prior to the tournament. It had been what they had all needed: a little love in their lives to bring a glimpse of hope for those who couldn’t be with the ones they loved.

“It sucks that we lost in the first round, eh Tsukki?”

Kei came back to his senses when he heard Yamaguchi next to him. The freckled boy had grown up so much in the last year or so, Kei thought. Perhaps being in a serious relationship with Shimada had brought him a closure to some dark moments in their teenage years. But Kei was happy for him, happy for his next-door neighbor who had confessed to him during a party where they had both drank too much and was now able to sit beside without having any awkwardness to deal with.

Maybe Kei had Tetsurou to thank for this.

The match opposing Karasuno and Fukurodani ended with a loss for the black and orange jerseys. Kei couldn’t help but to look at his friends on the court and knew deep down that even though Suga and Daichi were also out of the tournament they were the happiest couple of dorks in the whole town, having fought so much together since Daichi’s return to the country with a missing limb.

How Kei envied them…

A dark-haired man with glasses appeared in the middle of the court as the teams lined up at their back lines. The man held a microphone with his right hand, a paper in his left.

“I’m sorry to interrupt the tournament,” the man cleared his voice, “but there’s an announcement that I would like to make if it’s okay.”

The whole gym went silent. Everyone knew what this was about.

“We would like to take a moment of silence for our men out over seas and some who have made the final sacrifice. Please bow your head for a list of locals who are known to being dead.”

Kei did as he was told and closed his eyes, his face down in a prayer.

Names were named, people began to sob from afar and then closer to him. More names. More cries. Kei opened his eyes and began to look around him, finding people all around him hugging and pulling each other in an embrace.

“… and lastly, Sergeant Kuroo, Tetusurou…”

_What._

No.

Had he heard wrong?

“Tsukki…”

“….no.”

Without knowing he stood up. The only thing he could hear was… nothing.

“Kei…” a sudden whisper by his side.

Yamaguchi was holding on his shirt sleeve.

No…

He had… there was no way.

“I… I have to go.”

 

xXx

 

Where could he go?

Why was it so cold outside?

Where could he go?

When would see him again?

Could he…?

No…

There was no way…

Kei ran as fast as he could towards the only place he had found peace in the last months. The only place he felt whole.

It was a cold evening by the pier. Their secret hiding was only lighten up by the moon up above his head. It was late already and he knew that coming out with only a small jacket would bring him regrets later on…

… but he wouldn’t feel the same amount of regrets he felt at the moment, knowing that he would never be able to be held in the arms of the soldier he had fallen in love with. It was with warm tears that he knew he would forever regret everything…

… except falling in love.

 

xXx

 

Two years later.

 

Reiko Kuroo rocked herself to a slow rythym as she worked on finishing her latest pair of wool slippers. Knitting had always been on of her favorite past-time. It helped her think about the good things in life. Lately, she had been thinking about the end of the war that had happened not too long ago. As every soldier were ordered back home, she had been hopeful that one day her grandson would show up back at the door with his smirky dumbass smile again.

She hadn’t heard from him ever since he had called her before he had left the country. Back then he had been stuck at a training camp in California.

 _“You seem to be a in a rather good mood,_ ” she had said to him in the middle of their conversation.

She had known that somehow the boy had found something, or someone that he had wanted to hold on to.

 _“You always know,”_ Tetsurou had replied with a chuckle.

To which she had replied _“A grandmother always know. Come on boy, spill it.”_

It had been a special someone he had met in his traveling up on the east coast. A blonde with glasses that had won his heart with a cup of coffee.

_“You make sure that you come back for that person, boy or I swear I will go and fetch me myself!”_

She had been so happy for him. How could she not?

Two years later and… nothing….

A soft knock at the front door made her look away from her knitting then towards the door. Her heart stopped for a moment, wondering if the Gods were playing some sort of a mind game with her.

Another soft knock. She knew she had to get up.

And so she did. And then walked towards the door.

And then opened it.

And revealed a nice tall blonde man in a green unifom.

One just like Tetsurou had left her house with…

“Madam,” the blonde took his hat off before bringing his right gloved hand in his pocket.

Reiko began trembling, shaking like a leaf. Without knowing it she fought taking a step back, fought closing the door right in that soldier’s face. She fought the will…

Because she knew.

“You… you’re…”

The blonde soldier bowed. “My name is Kei Tsukishima. I’ve met your grandson a couple of years ago before he flew to the war zone.”

There was a moment of silence. Reiko understood very well the reason of the boy’s visit.

Before Kei could open his hand, Reiko placed both of hers over his. This was tradition, she had heard about it from other women in the neighborhood: the fallen would receive a medal that had to be given to the closest member of their family…

But somehow, as she looked into the boy’s eyes, she knew…

“You keep that medal, son.”

“Wh-I’m sorry?”

Reiko took a second to reply. She closed her eyes, her hands still on Kei’s. In her mind she had been getting ready for this moment for over two years now and as she fought the tears and mentally prayed farewell to her only grandson, she understood that this had to happen one day or another.

“Please, come in. You must be tired from your trip here.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for your patience and your love for this story. :)


End file.
